The world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., is the nation's largest private employer with 1.4 million workers. The company announced Tuesday that it is rolling out a three-part strategy to boost the sluggish U.S. economy.

According to King 5, "the plan includes hiring more than 100,000 veterans in the next five years, spending $50 billion to buy American-made merchandise in the next ten years and helping its part-time workers move into full-time positions sooner."

President and CEO Bill Simon of Wal-Mart, said at an annual retail industry convention in New York on Tuesday morning that, "we've developed a national paralysis that's driven by all of us waiting for someone else to do something. The beauty of the private sector is that we don’t have to win an election, convince Congress or pass a bill to do what we think is right. We can simply move forward, doing what we know is right."

As reported by King 5, "at the center of Wal-Mart's plan is its pledge to hire veterans, many of who come from Afghanistan and Iraq are having a particularly hard time finding employment. The unemployment rate for veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan stood at 10.8 percent in December versus the overall unemployment rate of 7.8 percent."

Dave Tovar, Wal-Mart spokesman, said the veterans are "quick learners, and they're team players. These are leaders with discipline, training, and a passion for service. There is a seriousness and sense of purpose that the military instills, and we need it today more than ever."